The J.D.
at the College of Law will now prepare students from the U.S. and Canada
to seek bar admission in both countries, expanding the job market for
new attorneys and creating new opportunities for international law
practice. The North
American Law Degree will allow students to graduate, within three years,
with a J.D. designed to allow them to immediately seek licensure in
Canada without further coursework, in addition to qualifying them for
bar admission in the U.S., making the College of Law’s J.D. program
unique among U.S. law schools. Dean Douglas Sylvester,
a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada and a graduate of both Canadian
and U.S. schools of higher education, believes the degree will be an
invaluable opportunity for future attorneys. ...

Arizona recently adopted a rule allowing certain students to sit for the
state bar exam during the February of their 3L year, which would allow
them to sit for the bar in Canada right after graduation, Sylvester
said. "I think there's a huge demand for attorneys with the
ability to practice in the U.S. and Canada," he said. "With every
cross-border transaction, companies need to bring in law firms in both
countries. We've been meeting with firms in Canada that are interested
in attorneys who are dual-licensed."

Administrators expect the
program to draw some U.S. students but mostly Canadians — despite the
fact that ASU's $26,267 annual tuition exceeds that at most Canadian law
schools. Sylvester noted that the law school admissions process is far
more competitive in Canada. Second, it is easier for a U.S. attorney to
qualify for the bar in Canada than for a Canadian in most U.S. states.

Finally,
Canadians might be attracted by Arizona's warm weather; Phoenix already
boasts a fairly robust population of Canadian attorneys, said
Sylvester, himself a Canadian national who holds joint U.S. citizenship.
The law school has been working with the Canada Arizona Business
Council, which promotes cross-border trade. ...

Hurdles remain for U.S. lawyers who want to be licensed in Canada.
Lawyers there must complete a 10-month articling period under the
supervision of an experienced attorney, and so would ASU graduates.
However, provinces including Ontario are discussing alternatives to
articling, including legal clinics and practical-skills training.

ASU
plans to bring in Canadian attorneys to teach the 3L Canadian law
courses, Sylvester said. The school is already talking with Canadian law
firms about creating summer associate positions and articling spots for
its graduates.

Comments

It does seem odd for ASU to head down this road. If anything, I'd expect law schools in Minnesota, Michigan, New York, and Washington to go down this route. It'll be interesting to see if this takes off and if anyone imitates.